United Nations Middle East Peace Envoy Thor Winnisland yesterday called on Israel and the Palestinians to calm the escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank following an Israeli operation in which six Palestinians were killed.
The United Nations envoy’s call comes a day after heavy fighting in the Israeli military operation in the northern occupied West Bank city of Jenin, in which six Palestinians were killed, one of whom was accused last month of killing Israeli settlers. Venice said he was “troubled” by the violence, which the army said included soldiers firing shoulder-mounted rockets amid heavy gunfire at the Jenin refugee camp.
In a February 20 statement, the Security Council condemned “all acts of violence against civilians” and called on “all parties to refrain from inciting violence.”
Palestinian President’s spokesman Nabil Abu Rudayneh said: “The daily killings carried out by the Israeli occupying forces against our people and what happened in the Jenin camp in terms of assaults, killings and injuries of citizens, as well as the bombing of their homes with rockets and explosive shells , it’s a full scale war.”
He held the Israeli government “responsible for this dangerous escalation, which threatens to explode the situation and nullify all efforts aimed at restoring stability.”
And the Israeli army announced that the security forces “succeeded in eliminating Abdel Fattah Hussein Harouch from the Askar camp” in Nablus, accusing him of killing two settlers in Hawar on February 26 in the occupied West Bank.
Two Israeli settlers were killed on the day of a meeting in the Jordanian city of Aqaba between Israeli and Palestinian officials, after which they pledged to “prevent further violence.”
According to municipal council member Waji Odeh, the settlers retaliated against the city of Hawara on the night of killing settlers, destroying property, and setting fire to “more than thirty houses and hundreds of cars.”
“I am deeply concerned about the ongoing violence,” Winnisland said, denouncing Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
He stressed that “Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure the protection of the civilian population and bring those responsible to justice.”
Venisland said the commitments made by both parties in Jordan last month, when they agreed to “take de-escalation measures”, must be honored if “we are to find a way forward.”
“The parties must refrain from taking further steps that could lead us to more violence,” he added.
